Shoe



G. w. BLAIR Sept. 18, 1928,

SHOE

Filed March '15, 1924 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. W. BLAIR Sept. 18, 1922;.

SHOE

Filed March 15, 1924' age Pastas... 18,1928. v 1,684,660

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed March 15, 1924. Serial No. 699,408.

My invention relates to shoes, boots and and Which also serves to enhance the appear- 50 overshoes or galoshes, all of which are inance of the shoe. cluded herein in the term shoes and has On the drawings: reference more particularly to the provision Fig. 1 is a' perspective view of an overin connection with a quick operating nonshoe embodying my improvements;

adjustable fastener of an arrangement where- Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the overby the size of the upper portion of the shoe shoe opened up by releasing'the quick operatmay be varied. 111g fasteners;

I have shown my invention herein in con- Fig. 3 a similar view, showing the overnection with an overshoe of the type comshoe opened up by releasing the adjustable monly worn by women. As such overshoes buckle or snap fasteners; are usually made with a high top, it is cus- Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view, takentomary to provide a number of fasteners arthrough the upper part of the overshoe; ranged at intervals along the upper to insure Fig. 5 an enlarged fragmentary front View proper closing together of the separable por- 0f the quick operating fasten r ith th tions of the upper, and these fasteners are front plate of the operating member broken made adjustable so that the size of the upper away and other parts in section to show the may be varied somewhat to fit the leg, ankle manner in which the fasteners interengage; and instep of the wearer. Inasmuch as these Fig. 6 a sectional view on the line 66 of 20 fasteners must be separately fastened and F 1 5; and

unfastened, they are more or less inconvenig. 7 a sectional view on the line 7:-7 of ient, and it is desirable to provide a quick F 1g. 5, and showing adjoining portions of operable fastener which will connect the septhe Walls of the overshoe arable side portions of the upper without the eferring to the drawings, the reference inconvenience of manipulating a number of numeral '1 indicates as a whole an overshoe,

separate fasteners. However, the quick opthe upper part of which is divided down the 7 crating fasteners are not adjustable to perfront into two side portions 2 and 3. A fold mit variation in the size of the upper to fit ing gusset or tongue 4, which is sufliciently the leg, ankle and instep of the wearer, and wide to permit the upper part of the over- 0 this has been found to be a serious objection shoe to be spread apart to any necessary exto the practical use of such fasteners. tent, is interposed between the two side por- The principal objects of my invention are tions 2 and 3, and has the side edges secured to provide shoes with a quick operating fasrespectively to the side portions 2 and 3, near tener wherein the size of the upper may be the forward edges thereof to close the ga 35 varied to fit the leg, ankle and instep of the between the side portions 2 and 3, and this wearer; to provide an adjustment in connecgusset or tongue 4 folds back at the sides of tion with the quick operating fastener which the leg as indicated at 5, when the overshoe does not interfere with the permanent closis fastened in place. ing gusset or tongue which is commonly se- A'strip 6 of material, preferably like the 4 cured to the edges of the separable side porrest of the upper, is permanently secured to tions of the upper; to provide an adjusting the overshoe at its lower end as indicated at arrangement for the upperwhich may read- 7 and is provided along the outer side at ily include an emergency fastener which pe'rspaced intervals wlth fasteners 8 for securmits removal of the shoe in case the quick ing said flap to the side portion 2, and is pro- 45 operating fastener fails to function; and in' vided along the other edge with a series of general, to provide a simple and convenient quick operating fastener members 9 which adjustment in connection with a quick opercooperate with a snn lar series of .compleating fastener, which does not affect the sementary uick-operat1ng fastener members curity of or protection afforded by the shoe 10 on the orward edge of the side portion 3,

v by interlocking the j ing or parallel 13 which are secured respectively to the forward edges of the strip 3. The adjacent edges provided with a cord or 6 and side portion of these tapes are beading 14 to which the fastener members 9 and 10 are clamped at close intervals so that the fastening members on the one tape are staggered with respect to and fit snugly between the fastener members on the other tape. The fastener members 9 and 10 are alike, and have their outer ends formed with a'reccss or cavity 17 on the under side and an upwardly pro ecting lug 16 at the top so arranged that the lugs on each series of fastener members 9 and 10 engage in the recesses or cavities 17 of the other series of fastener members, therefastener members 9 with the fastener members 10 when these series of fasteners are brought together into an alignposition. When the tapes 12 and 13 are bent away from one another as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 5, a separation of adjacent members 9 and 10 occurs, which releases the interlocking engagement of the catches 14 and 15 and permits separation or engagement thereof.

For the purpose of operating these catches in the required manner engage same, the slider 11 is employed, which comprises opposed plates and 21 which are held together by an integral portion 22 at the top anda spacing rivet 23, and the lateral edges of these plates are bent inwardly as at 24 and 25 around the outer edges of the fasteners 9 and 10. The lowerextremities of the inturned portions 24 and 25 are positioned so as to force the fasteners 9 and 10 into the interlocking position, while the upper portions are divcrgently arranged to form guides for directing the fasteners 9 and 10 inwardly to the interlocking position, or to permit divergence of the series of fasteners 9 and 10 for separating same. The spacing rivet 23 is tapered somewhat along the lower edge to serve as a deflector for directing the two series of fasteners 9 and 10 outwardly, and the top portion 22 of the slider 11 has wings 26 bent down as shown to cooperate with the spacer rivet 26 in directing the fasteners 9 and 10 to and from the interlocking position. With this construction the movement of the slider 11 along the juncture line of the two series of fasteners 9 and 10 serves, as it moves in one direction, to bring these fasteners together and interlock same, and in the other direction to divert and separate same. A plate 15 or other suitable means, is attac' ed to the slider 11 for conveniently operating same, and

to engage and dis- 7 stops 18 are secured to the upper ends of the tapes 12 and 13 to limit the upward move ment of the slider.

The fasteners 8 may whereby the inner edge of the flap 6 may be adjustably connected to the side portion 2, but are preferably detachable so as to afford. an emergency release in the event that the quick operable fastener fails to function properly.

The fasteners shown herein are of a particularly of snap which are adapted to be engaged by complementary snap fastener elements 28 which mounted on straps 29 secured at correspond:

be of any desired type,

convenient type, comprising aseries fastener elements 27 on the side portion 2 of the overshoe,

are adj ustably ing intervals along the inner edgeof thefl'ap 6. The fastener elements 28v in the present f form are secured to the under side of plates which are slottedadjacent the ends to provide 29 may struction the size of the upper part of the overshoe may be readily varied by adjusting the fasteners 28 along that the overshoe properly fits the leg of the wearer, and it is unnecessary to employ the apertures through which the strap be inserted, and this strap is inserted through one of these slots, over the top 'of the plate 30 and down through. the other the straps 29, so 9 snap fasteners for applying or removing the overshoe unless the quick operative fastener should fail to work.

It is to be noted that with this construction the gusset or tongue 4 is secured to the side portions 2 and and separably connect the side portions and close The front of the overshoe when either the quick operating fasteners or the snap fasteners are released, as the flap 6, is merely interposed between the quick operating fasteriers and the snap fastenersand covers the forward edge of the side portion 2. 1

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims;

I claim as my invention: v 1. In a shoe, the combination of an made without departing fromthe principles i upper having separable side portions .one of whic is composer of two sections, a quick operating fastener for connecting the two side portions comprising opposed series of interlocking parts adapted to be interlocked and released by the movement of a slider along the junc- I ture line of said parts, spaced independently adjustable means connecting the two sections of the aforesaid side and a. plurality of.

in; 3 and servesto permanently 3 portion for varying the size of the upper part of the shoe.

2. In a shoe, the combination of an up-' per having separable side portions one of which is composed of two sections, a quick operating fastener for connecting the two side'portions and comprising opposed series of interlocking parts having a slider movable along the juncture line of the parts for interlocking and releasing said parts, and a plurality of detachable fasteners connecting the two sections of the aforesaid side portion and affording an adjustable connection whereby the size of the upper portion of the shoe may be varied.

3. In a shoe, the combination .of an upper having separable side portions, a foldable member interposed between and having the lateral edges secured to the separable side portions for closing the gap therebetween and permitting sufiicient separation thereof for inserting the foot in the shoe, an upwardly extending strip overlying the front part of one of the side portions of the upper, a quick operating fastener connecting the forward edge of said strip to the forward edge of the other side portion of the upper and adapted to be interlocked and released by a slider which is movable along the juncture line thereof, and a plurality of detachable fasteners arranged at intervals along the rear edge of said strip and connecting the latter to the side portion of the shoe over which said strip is positioned, said fasteners having an adjustable connection with said strip whereby the size of the upper portion of the shoe may be varied.

4. In a shoe, the combination of an upper having separable side portions, one of which is provided with an extension overlying the forward portion thereof and adjustably connected thereto at a distance from the forward edge, a quick operating fastener connecting the forward edge of said extension with the forward edge of the other side portion of the upper and comprising opposed series of interlocking parts, and a slider operable along the'juncture line of said parts for interlocking and releasing said parts, and a laterally extensible closing member interposed between and having the lateral edges secured edge of the other sideportion and compris- 1ng opposed series of interlocking parts and a slider adapted to interlock and release said;

parts by movement along the juncture line 7 thereof, a plurality of straps arranged at intervals along the rear edge of the strip and having fastener elements adjustably con nected thereto, and a plurality of complementary fastener elements arranged at corresponding intervals along the side portion of the upper which is overlaid by said strip and adapted to detachably interlock with the fastener elements on the straps.

6. In a shoe, the combination of an upper having separable quarters, a flap extending along and secured to the edge of one of the quarters by a slider operated separable fastener, said flap being extended over and detachably and adjustably connected to the other quarter at the side of the shoe.

7. In a shoe, the combination of an upper having separable quarters, a flap extending along and secured to the edge of one of the quarters by a slider operated separable fastener, said flap being extended over the other quarter and provided with concealed fastening means carried by said flap and adjustable transversely thereof detachably engaging and covering corresponding fastener means on the latter quarter.

8. A shoe comprising an upper parted at the front to afford separable side portions, a flap extending along one side of and laterallyv from the line of parting, a separable fastener secured'to the edge of one of the side portions of the upper and to the lateral edge of the flap adjacent the line of parting, and spaced means for adjustably connecting the flap to the other side portion of the upper and extending beyond the other lateral edge of the flap and connecting therebeyond with the other side portion of theupper.

GEORGE W. BLAIR. 

